Lookup on Server Not Working

I’ve noticed ever since I updated to GPG4Win 3.1.13 the lookup key on keyserver is not working. I put in either a name or email address in the search box and hit search. It literally come back in less than a seconds with no results and the search button “reset” again. I know it can’t be searching the database that quickly so it appears it is not even searching at all.

Hi Mark,
the usual keyserver config setting is using a pool of keyservers, so it is possible that you’ll end up being connected to one that is not fully working.

Additionally the large keyserver network have been under attack by a group of people that is spamming them, this is why searching may go away and some keyserver and pubkeys are not reachable, such are third-party signature. Unfortunally.
(Now going back to centrally controlled or “deciding-on-whom-to-trust” keyservers would be a step back in my view, but is also what some are doing nevertheless.)

Best Regards,
Bernhard

Hi Bernhard,

I could understand if it timed out or seemed like there was an issue with the server. From what I am seeing is as soon as I hit search it comes back with nothing and the search button is no longer grayed out. I don’t believe it is actually searching anything because the response (or lack there of) is happening too fast.

I looked at the settings for Kleopatra and it has “hkp://keys.gnupg.net” for the OpenPGP Keyserver but when I try to ping it, it can’t even find the host. That might explain why it is not finding any keys but there is nothing in Kleopatra that is alerting me to this.

Hi Mark,
some servers in the pool may not be responding to ping requests. :slight_smile:

You are probably right that Kleopatra should display a better diagnostic message
is nothing is found.

Regards,
Bernhard

Something like a timeout or no response message would be helpful. It appears they are kinda working again though.